Sleep!
If you're a parent of young children like I am, sleeping in on a Saturday may be a distant memory or a goal to which you aspire! Maybe you're a parent of older children who you can't drag out of bed. Maybe you don't have children yet and you wish you had someone waking you up at 5am each day. Any way you look at it, sleep is something we probably all think about on a daily basis.
What kind of sleeper are you?
Do you fall asleep fast, but wake often in the night?
Do you have trouble falling asleep, but sleep through until morning?
Do you toss and turn and wake frequently?
Do you feel like you get enough sleep, but you wake still feeling exhausted?
Are you an excellent sleeper or somewhere in between?
One of my favorite new books is Shawn Stevenson's SLEEP SMARTER. I would recommend this to anyone who desires better sleep.
I am planning on hosting a Sleep master class this summer to address the most common sleep issues and how to get deeper, more restful sleep. More information will come to my Gold Members first, then will be opened up to everyone else at a later date. Gold Members will, as usual, benefit from a discounted rate.
To get you started, here are a few of my favorite tips to SLEEP better!
Be sure to get unfiltered morning sunlight within 30 minutes to an hour of rising. You can drink your coffee outside, go for a walk, or drive with your window cracked to get those rays. This will help start your circadian rhythm and will let your body know that it's time to wake.
Get moving! Workout at some point during the day, preferably in the morning. This can be as short as a 5–10-minute yoga video before work. I always recommend at least 20 minutes of exercise per day. This can be a walk, bike ride, weightlifting, or time spent playing with your children/dog/grandchildren. The more you move throughout the day, the better you'll sleep. (Working out 2 hours or less before bed, however, can have the opposite effect.)
Eat clean. The cleaner you eat, the better your body can function. Plain and simple.
Get enough protein.
Stop eating at least 2 hours before you go to sleep. Your body can then focus on sleep rather than digestion.
Implementing these into your daily routine will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer without the help of medication. I hope these tips help you get some shuteye!
**These are not always immediately effective and should be implemented for several days or weeks before changes may be seen. There could be other issues pertaining to your gut health that will need to be addressed to give you optimal sleep.**